Not so long ago me and my friend went to Chevron. While waiting for the bus back to Yerushalayim we started a conversation with an elderly Arab man who lived in Chevron and spoke a few words Yiddish. His father spoke fluently Yiddish as he was often among religious Jews in -back then- the British Mandate of Palestine. Of course we spoke about politics, their unfortunate living conditions and Zionism.
My friend asked him, “if we would walk in that direction” while pointing in a certain direction “what would happen? We could walk there?”
The Arab grandfather shook his head. “No. They’d throw stones at you… or…” He was very clear it wasn’t safe for Jews to walk there.
"But we’re not Zionists" my friend said, “we are against Zionism!”
"It doesn’t matter, they only see this" the man replied while making curling motions down the front of his ears clearly symbolizing the peyos. "They hate Jews. They hate Jews. It doesn’t matter".
Then a car passed by. “That’s Tiff*” the man said. A “Human Rights” organization with volunteers from all over the world -but mostly Europe- who record and picture everything that’s going on. ”They are against Jews too.”
"Against Jews?" I asked him. Jews, not Zionists?
"Yes. Against Jews" he replied.
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*He pronounced it as “tiff” but meant Tiph (Temporary International Observer Hebron).
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